Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer… Read Full Bio ↴Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".

Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number one hit in the United States. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, he became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, made him enormously popular—and controversial.

In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He held few concerts however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. Years of prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate, just 42 years of age.

Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, country, blues, and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music. He won three competitive Grammys, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

Viva Las Vegas
Elvis Presley Lyrics

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Bright light city gonna set my soul
Gonna set my soul on fire
Got a whole lot of money that's ready to burn
So get those stakes up higher

There's a thousand pretty women waitin' out there
And they're all livin' the devil may care
And I'm just the devil with love to spare, so

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas

How I wish that there were more
Than the twenty-four hours in the day
Even if there were forty more
I wouldn't sleep a minute away

Oh, there's black jack and poker and the roulette wheel
A fortune won and lost on ev'ry deal
All you need's a strong heart and a nerve of steel
Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas with your neon flashin'
And your one arm bandits crashin'
All those hopes down the drain
Viva Las Vegas turnin' day into nighttime
Turnin' night into daytime
If you see it once
You'll never be the same again

I'm gonna keep on the run
I'm gonna have me some fun
If it costs me my very last dime
If I wind up broke, oh well
I'll always remember that I had a swingin' time

I'm gonna give it ev'rything I've got
Lady luck please let the dice stay hot
Let me shoot a seven with ev'ry shot, ah

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas
Viva Las Vegas, Viva, Viva Las Vegas

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Elvis Presley's song "Viva Las Vegas" are centered around the high stakes, glamorous and thrilling world of Las Vegas. The singer is portraying himself as a devilish figure, with a heart full of love, ready to take on the city with all its temptations. The first verse sets the tone for the remainder of the song, with the opening lines "Bright light city gonna set my soul / Gonna set my soul on fire", expressing the excitement and anticipation of the singer to be in Las Vegas. He then goes on to mention his financial state, noting that he has a "whole lot of money that's ready to burn," conveying the message that he's willing to take risks and bet big.

The chorus of the song, "Viva Las Vegas!" is an enthusiastic exclamation, directed towards the city itself, as if to say "Long live Las Vegas!" The next verse is a wistful one, in which the singer expresses his desire for more time in the day, as he feels there is so much to do and see in Las Vegas. The third and final verse reiterates the singer's willingness to risk it all and the upbeat tempo carries the feeling of excitement all the way through the end.

Overall, the lyrics of "Viva Las Vegas" capture the Las Vegas spirit perfectly, with its glitz, glamour, and high-stakes energy. The song is famous for its evocative imagery and is considered an iconic Elvis song, often featured in movies and TV shows about the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas.

Interesting facts about the song:

Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.

Line by Line Meaning

Bright light city gonna set my soul
The glittering city of Las Vegas fills me with an intense feeling that I can’t describe

Gonna set my soul on fire
It energizes me and I feel alive

Got a whole lot of money that's ready to burn
I have a lot of money to spend

So get those stakes up higher
So, I'm going to gamble more tonight

There's a thousand pretty women waitin' out there
There are many beautiful women waiting for me outside

And they're all livin' the devil may care
They are all living recklessly, without any worries or responsibilities.

And I'm just the devil with love to spare, so
I am a person who loves to have fun and is full of charm.

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas
Long live Las Vegas

How I wish that there were more
I wish there were more hours in a day

Than the twenty-four hours in the day
So that I can spend more time enjoying myself

Even if there were forty more
Even if there are more hours in the day

I wouldn't sleep a minute away
I will not waste my time sleeping

Oh, there's black jack and poker and the roulette wheel
There are many gambling games such as blackjack, poker and roulette

A fortune won and lost on ev'ry deal
People win and lose a lot of money in each round

All you need's a strong heart and a nerve of steel
You need to be brave and have a strong willpower to win in gambling.

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas
Long live Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas with your neon flashin'
Las Vegas, with its neon lights flashing everywhere, is truly a sight to behold.

And your one arm bandits crashin'
The sound of slot machines tumbling over and over is exhilarating to me.

All those hopes down the drain
The dreams of many people who gamble and lose their money are shattered

Viva Las Vegas turnin' day into nighttime
Las Vegas is famous for its night life and continues to be powered by the entertainment sector day and night.

Turnin' night into daytime
Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps and its bright lights are ever-shining, day and night.

If you see it once
Once you have experienced Las Vegas

You'll never be the same again
You will be transformed positively by the Las Vegas experience

I'm gonna keep on the run
I will not stay idle, but continue to move and explore different places

I'm gonna have me some fun
I am going to enjoy myself and have a great time

If it costs me my very last dime
Even if it means losing all my money

If I wind up broke, oh well
Even if I end up being empty-handed, it's no big deal

I'll always remember that I had a swingin' time
I will always cherish the memories I have made in Las Vegas

I'm gonna give it ev'rything I've got
I'm going to put everything I have into this experience

Lady luck please let the dice stay hot
I hope luck and fortune favor me

Let me shoot a seven with ev'ry shot, ah
When I roll the dice, I hope I get a lucky seven every time

Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas
Long live Las Vegas